Chapter 3: The Possessive and Obsessive

“Do you know those men?” Hoven asked as he sat beside me while taking a drink from the ice box, “They’ve been here for the whole time. At first, I thought that they are part of the show but seems like they are here because of you.”

I ignored him and stared at the men he was talking to. I sigh in disbelief as I remembers what happened last night.

I shrugged my head.

I don’t need to feel guilty over a slap. That Gideon deserves it.

Other than that, I don’t know what’s going on around that man’s head when he decided his men to escort and guard me at my workplace.

“What’s with the long face, Miss Williams? You don’t really like to work with me, don’t you?” I heard Hoven muttered.

“Don’t ask the obvious.”

“Woah, chill.”

“Always,” after my last word, Hoven did not talk again. He might already felt that I valued silence over nonsense chatting.

I turn my gaze to the front and stared at the crews. They are preparing the place for the next shoot. This project is a twenty-minute video including six different summer categories.

It means, to achieve this project successfully; I need to work with Hoven for weeks without counting the possible shooting distractions.

After a couple of minutes, I heard a concussive claps among the staffs in front of us.

“Break is over! Let’s get back to work!” It’s Miss Lawrence, the director of the ongoing project and the in house director of Falcon Industry. She was also responsible on most of my photo shoots and advertisements.

“The break time is too short,” Hoven mumbled.

“Miss Williams and  Mister Hoven, are you ready for the next setup?”

“Woah! When did you arrive in front of us, Director Lawrence?” Hoven retorted. I don’t know but his face was startled while facing Miss Lawrence.

“Just now. It seems like your mind is not with you, Mister Hoven. Do you still want to rest?”

“Thank you, Director Lawrence.” Hoven immediately compose himself and turns his gaze to me, “As long as my partn--”

“Project partner.” I cut him and emphasizes my words, “Don’t forget that.” I added. 

Hoven stared at me with lips in awe.

“Yeah, right, Director Lawrence. As long as my project partner wants to do it then no pressure.”

I secretly rolled my eyes. This man, he’s starting to annoy me.

Hoven and Miss Lawrence are having conversation about the next setup. That’s an advantage for me so that the annoying guy will stop crawling into my nerves.

I was standing for awhile when I feel persistent stares from the back. I look back and hold their gazes while raising my left eyebrow, giving an acknowledgement that I finally noticed them.

It was Gideon’s minions.

They immediately averted their gazes from me.

I don’t like someone staring behind my back even if it is unintentional. It’s too unkind and upsetting to experience people staring whenever they want to.

People sometimes need to be aware of how staring might affect to others. It can give disfigurement.

I hate being watched that’s why I don’t hangout a lot. With my face around the cover posts and magazines in the country, it means never having a day off.

“You doze off,” Hoven said as I turn my face around, “We are calling out for you but you did not listen. Are you okay?” he added.

I just stared at him for a second and look at Miss Lawrence.

“Shall we start, Miss Williams?” I nodded.

We started walking to the next setup while Hoven keeps on complaining about me not appreciating his existence.

Why would I? I’m not obliged to be on a man’s feet in this world. No one can…

I was frozen on my feet as I realized my words.

Is there really nothing…no one?

“Are you really okay?” Hoven’s eyes are worried, “If you won’t answe--” he did not finish his words when I nodded, “Oh, you are really fine, I finally got a response from a walking Ghiaccio.” he said as he catch up on Miss Lawrence’s footsteps.

“Ghiaccio?” I murmured.

“Finally, I got Miss William’s curiosity.” he shouted without looking back.

I shrugged my head. I don’t have enough seconds to buy with his jerky words. How is that even possible for him to hear that?

I shrugged and took a deep breath and followed them.

After we arrived at the setup, the continuation of the film making for the first episode immediately started. This is the first day of my collaboration with Hoven.

Thinking that I need more weeks with him is exhausting. I can’t cope up with his arrogance.

“STOP!” Miss Lawrence shouted, “Williams, your body is too stiff. Relax and put your mind in this one. This is a romantic vintage. Please focus more on touching Hoven’s body.”

After Miss Lawrence said those words, I wasn’t given time to react because she diverted her attention to Hoven.

“And you Mister Hoven, can you act accordingly to your role as possessive? Remember that this category includes a plantation owner in love with his female gardener. Be more conscious on your body languages.”

Miss Lawrence immediately walked back to the crew.

“ACTION!” she shouted and a clicking sound followed.

I was startled when a hands was suddenly wrapping around my waist. I stared at Hoven with wide open eyes as his hands on my body tightened, slowly pulling me to his chest.

“What are you doing?” I whispered to him.

“I’m just doing my role as a possessive lover,” Hoven mumbled after a flash in front of us.

“That’s great!” Miss Lawrence shouted again.

Before I could react, Hoven’s hands traveled to my hips.

“Hey.” I almost shouted. I stared at him.

“We are working,” he said without second thoughts, “This is our profession.”

“I’m gonna sue you for this,” I muttered followed by hostile glare. He chuckles as if a rabbit was giving him death threat.

“I’ll be waiting for your entreat, Miss Williams.” Hoven said and suddenly let go of me. I thought that it’s a movement of dismissal but I lost my breathe when he suddenly grabbed me by the hand, pulling closer to him.

This time, he was hugging me. I can feel his heat and my body temperature increases when his fingers caresses my cheeks.

“You look beautiful,” he said with gaze open-mouthed.

I was too stunned to speak but before I could utter any words, his grip on my body loosened and for a second; Hoven was sitting on the ground while his side lip is bleeding.

“Take your filthy hands off from her. No one is allowed to touch my wife except me.”